I Will Always Be the Same
by AQ
Summary: FINISHED Seto x Mai fic Mai runs away from home in search of her destiny, but will she find it in a mysterious young man who just keeps popping up in her life? rated for language and violence
1. So Many Weirdoes on the Planet

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
Before I let yall to the fic, I would like to say the following to my wonderful reviewers: yall are doing a terrific job, keep it up, you made this fanfic possible. (Cuz I need feedback from my other stories to keep me going, ya? Don't let me down!! ^_^ )  
  
Dedicated to all Seto/Mai fans out there, enjoy!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, if I did. nah, I won't tell ya!! Enjoy the fic!! R&R PWETTY PWEASE!!!!! ^_^  
  
AN: This story takes part before any of the characters compete in the duelist kingdom, and it is told from Mai's POV.  
  
=.= - Mai's thoughts.  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 - So Many Weirdoes On the Planet  
  
"Hey, Mai!" somebody shouted after me as I was heading out of the school and into the parking lot towards my car. "Wait up!"  
  
I turned around to see a group of people running towards me. I stopped and waited for them to get to the place where I stood. =What do they want?= I thought in annoyance. =It's not like I don't have places to be.=  
  
The group has reached me now, and I looked at their faces, expecting them to say something.  
  
"So, Mai," the blond boy said with a smile, "Are you doing anything this afternoon?"  
  
I gave him a surprised stare. I didn't even know who he was. =Maybe he's that kid from two seats back in chem.=  
  
"Do I know you?"  
  
The boy grinned even more.  
  
"You don't know me? I'm Joey, I'm in your chem class. These are my friends, Tristan, Tea and Yugi."  
  
I raised my eyebrows. =Why were these guys talking to me? Didn't they have enough people in their group? What did they want from me?=  
  
"And what is it that you want?" I asked him in a neutral tone, trying not to glance at my watch.  
  
"Nothing, we just thought that you would like to hang out, you know?"  
  
=Hang out? Why do they even bother to ask? I never hang out with them, they know that. I don't even give a damn about them.=  
  
"I have an engagement," I told them flatly. "Good day."  
  
And with that, I turned around, ready to leave.  
  
"Maybe some other time!" I heard Joey shout after me before I got into my car.  
  
I started the engine and pulled out from the parking lot, the conversation I just had totally forgotten in the back of my mind. =I guess there are just too many weird people on the planet.= That was my last thought before I pulled out onto the street. In short while I reached my house. Parking the car in the garage, I heard the voices of my parents shouting in the living room. =Whatever.= I thought as I walked through the back door, and grabbed a snack from the refrigerator before heading up to my room.  
  
The noise from the living room seized. =Great, now they know I'm here.= I sat at my desk and chewed on the chips. Sure enough, there was a nock on my door, and I made my way to open it.  
  
"Mai, honey," my mother started, but I cut her off with a wave of my hand.  
  
"It's ok. I got used to it," I told her, referring to the fight she had with my father.  
  
"No, it's not ok," she sat down on the edge of my bed, while I remained standing at the door. "We're planning on getting a divorce."  
  
I only raised my eyebrows and rolled my eyes. I was prepared for that. I only wondered why they didn't decide so sooner.  
  
"Aren't you going to say anything?" she then asked me.  
  
"What do you want me to say?" =She needs a reality check. Dad doesn't love her anymore. Can't she see that?=  
  
"Aren't you upset?"  
  
"Look, mom, just tell me what's going to happen next." I knew I sounded a little selfish, but I was no good at these things. =Besides, I always knew this would happen.=  
  
"Me and your father will figure something out," she said before she headed out the door, and I shut it after her. =Hope I didn't hurt her.=  
  
I heard the phone ring in the kitchen, but I knew it was for one of my parents. No one ever calls me. All I do is listen in on my parent's conversations. =The only reason I even have a phone.= I thought and smiled to myself. =Keeps me from going insane.= I picked up the receiver that I always kept off the hook, and sat down in my leather chair.  
  
"Hello?" I heard my mother say downstairs.  
  
"Hello, this is Dan Hillson from Fingers Furniture. Is Mr. Valentine available?"  
  
"May I ask what this is about?"  
  
"It's about the purchase he made at our store last week."  
  
"Hold on just a second."  
  
And then I heard my mother yelling at my dad, while he just spoke into the phone. =Dad's in trouble again.=  
  
I let the phone drop onto the surface of the table soundlessly and just closed my eyes. =What's going to happen to me now?= 


	2. Enter Seto Kaiba

Hi all!!! Didn't expect so many reviews in so little time. I guess you like seto/mai fics. try to keep that in mind. big thanks to all my wonderful reviewers, and I know hardly anyone reads this part, so I'll keep it short. enjoy the fic and remember to always R&R!!!!! ^_^  
  
I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
Chapter 2 - Enter Seto Kaiba  
  
I was doing my nails when it happened. At first, it sounded like a regular fight between my folks, but then I heard the unmistakable sound of a gunshot. I was startled at first, but then again, deep down, I knew this was going to happen. I did not run down to the room to see what has happened, I already knew. Packing some clothes, my Duel Monsters deck, toiletries and the CD's that contained my life's work in my brown duffle bag, I went to my half empty closet.  
  
Using the boxes where I stored old papers from school for supports, I climbed to the topmost shelf. Extracting the huge black iron chest from its secret hiding place, I jumped down and opened the lock with the silver key I always wore around my neck. (A/N: not like the one that opens those little kiddy locks - think gate locks, big keys.) I always knew that it would come down to this, and now I would execute my long - planned for escape.  
  
Instead of going downstairs, where I would see my prediction come to life, I opened the window and sat on the edge. I had been planning my escape for months now, maybe more.  
  
=This is it.= I thought with a bittersweet feeling in my heart. =I have to fend for myself now= With practiced ease I leaped down from the window onto the grass below. With one last look at the house where I had spent most of my childhood, I ran across the front lawn and into the night.  
  
The next day it was in the papers. I sat at a café four blocks from my house, looking at the picture of my father's blooded body as he lay very much dead in our living room. The papers said it was a suicide, but I knew better. I knew my mother was planning this for weeks. I had heard that from the phone conversations she had with a certain Jake character.  
  
=Where are you now, mom?= I wondered, staring at their family portrait on the front page. It was so long ago, but even then, we haven't been a happy family. My mother always wanted to be in the middle of things. And when she married, she wanted to be in the middle of my father's affairs, too. That's how it has all started.  
  
=No use thinking about it now. I always knew this would happen, eventually=  
  
I paid the bill and walked out into the sunshine. The wind ruffled my hair, and I let it fly around my face as I crossed the parking lot to my car. I had no idea where I would go next, but I decided to drive anyway. As I was backing out of the parking lot, a black Nissan smashed into the rear of my Honda.  
  
=Great.= I thought in exasperation. I got out, and walked to the rear of the car to inspect the damage.  
  
"Why don't you watch where you're going?" I yelled at the driver who was emerging slowly from the black car.  
  
"Call me blind, but I didn't see you look behind you as you were backing out," he replied calmly.  
  
"I wasn't looking?! How dare you!" =No one has ever had the nerve to talk to me that way= I silently fumed.  
  
The brown haired boy just shrugged.  
  
"Since you don't look like you have much money, let's assume this was my fault."  
  
I clenched my fists, but didn't say anything. I didn't have the money to cover the cost of repairing the damage.  
  
=Would be really stupid to refuse the guy's money if he was giving it to me=  
  
"Here," the mysterious driver handed me a check through the open window of his car. I looked at the check in my hand and arched my eyebrows in surprise.  
  
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have places to be," he said curtly as he got into his car and drove away, leaving a dust cloud behind him. When it cleared, he was already a dot on the horizon.  
  
=That guy sure has a lot of money to spend.= I thought as I stood there holding the three - thousand dollar check the young man gave me. =Seto Kaiba. I wonder if he's the owner of that fancy company, Kaiba Corp. The name seems to fit=  
  
I drove my damaged car to a service station, where the mechanics got to work on it right away.  
  
=I need a shower and a good nap=  
  
I paid for a room and threw off my clothes in the bathroom. The warm weather felt great on my skin, and I relaxed into the spray.  
  
=What did I do to deserve this? Why can't my family be a normal one? Dammit, mom, why did you have to kill dad? Didn't you think about what would happen to me? Don't you care?=  
  
And then there was another voice in her head.  
  
=This is for my own good. I have to look out for myself. Yeah, that's it. This is a test. Well, I won't fail it. I will lead my own life. I don't need mom. I don't need anyone. No one is going to slow me down=  
  
I got dressed and ran a brush through my thick golden hair. =I don't need anyone=  
  
I waited while the guys finished the job on my car, and then I was ready to go. I had no idea where, but the main thing was that I was ready.  
  
"Nothing can slow me down," I said out loud to myself, and then turned up the radio. Singing along to my favorite tune, I continued my journey into the unknown.  
  
Whenever something inside of me whined about all the disadvantages, I repressed it. =I have to be strong if I want to survive on my own. That's right, on my own. Friends - who needs them? They only slow you down=  
  
It was getting dark, but I kept on driving. It was midnight when I stopped for gas. Looking around the messy interior of my car littered with soft drink cartons, burger wraps and snack bags, I realized how hungry I was. In fact, I haven't eaten since this morning. I pulled out a ten-dollar bill from my pocket, and the envelope with the rest of the money Kaiba gave me tumbled out with it.  
  
=He sure has money to spend= I wondered again. =Well, sure, he has his own company, what could possibly go wrong in his life= 


	3. Who says parents are always right?

Finally, I am proud to post the latest chapter of the fic yall seem to like so much!! Sorry for the delay, but I've been under tons of pressure and moreover I had the worst kind of writers block ever imaginable!! -_-u well the good news is I'm finally cured (don't know how I did it, so don't ask) be expecting another chapter coming up soon, if I get as many reviews for this chapter as I did for the previous ones. I love yall for those wonderful wonderful reviews!!!! ^_^ ok, I'll get on with the fic now (since no one ever reads this part newayz. -_-u) enjoy!!  
  
Dedicated to everyone who is a seto/mai fan. don't u think they make the cutest couple??? ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh!!! (if I had a dollar for every time I said that, I would be a billionaire right now!! ^_^ )  
  
On to the fic.  
  
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I Will Always be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
Chapter 3 - Who says Parents are Always Right?  
  
I woke up to the sound of roaring cars and took a moment to remember where I was. The light blue of the interior of my car greeted me, and I realized I slept in the back seat. Slowly sitting up, I tried to focus my sight to figure out where I was. Finding no familiar landmarks, I shrugged.  
  
=Whatever=  
  
I crawled to the front seat and flicked my bangs out of my face. The sun hasn't completely risen, and the sky was a strange pink color.  
  
=What, am I going soft now?= I scolded myself. =Who cares what the color of the sky is?=  
  
I straightened my clothes and fumbled in my pocket to make sure the cash was there. I picked out a few dollars and walked across the road to the food station.  
  
"Where are we?" I asked the person behind the counter.  
  
He looked up at me and smiled.  
  
"Central Tokyo."  
  
He pointed to a map.  
  
"Great," I mumbled under my breath. Picking up sandwiches, gum and a bottle of coke, I paid him. I turned around and bumped into something tall. I looked up into the face of none other than Seto Kaiba.  
  
"You again," I cursed, pushing past him.  
  
"Hey! How about an apology?" he shouted after me.  
  
"For what?" I retorted over my shoulder.  
  
I didn't wait for his answer. =Some people have the nerve.=  
  
I got into my car again, and pulled out of the truck stop where I spent the night.  
  
=That Seto Kaiba, what is he, following me or something? Doesn't he have his fancy company to run or something?=  
  
The car in front of me braked abruptly, and I slammed on the brakes hard to prevent driving into its rear. Rolling down the window, I shouted,  
  
"Learn to drive, buddy!"  
  
The driver stuck his middle finger at me from his own opened window.  
  
=You asked for it, sugar.= I fumed as I pushed the accelerator to the floorboard, hitting the car in front of me at full speed. It lurched forward, and I merged onto another lane. Looking back in my rear view mirror, I threw my head back and laughed. The driver was out cursing and inspecting the damage. The bumper fell off, the paint was scratched and there was a huge dent. I looked at my own car, and was relieved that I only smashed the glass off of one of my headlights. I managed to escape with everything else intact.  
  
=Serves you right, sucker!= I thought with triumph. Then my eyes fell on the newspaper that was open on the passenger seat. The picture of my family hit me in the face. Even when I was young, I always had that edge, that impatience about me.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"Hey Mai! Wait up!"  
  
I was still in fifth grade then.  
  
"What do you want, Bakura?" I asked the white-haired boy impatiently.  
  
"Nothing," he seemed confused.  
  
"Then stop wasting my time!" I walked off, leaving him in the doorframe of our classroom. I heard shouts behind me, and looked back. The three class bullies had Ryou in a headlock in the hallway.  
  
"Hey Bakura," I heard one of them say, "Why don't you ask your girlfriend there to get over here?" He was looking in my direction, grinning grossly. I walked over to where they stood slowly, and stopped when I was face to face with the guy who made the remark. With a quick movement of my arm, I slapped him in the face. He tried to shove me back, but I dodged, and punched him in the jaw. When he recovered, he charged right at me, but my perfect timing has rewarded me, and I laughed as the bully staggered back, clutching his groin area. His two comrades, with panicked looks on their faces released Bakura and set off towards the stairs.  
  
"Thanks," I heard Bakura say.  
  
I turned around and gave him a look.  
  
"For what?" I raised my eyebrows.  
  
"For saving me from those bullies, Mai. I'm really grateful."  
  
I cut him short by raising my hand.  
  
"I didn't do it for you, Bakura."  
  
"Then." he plastered a confused look on his face. =He gets confused a lot. what a dweeb=  
  
"I don't give a damn about you, even less if you get beat up. But did you honestly think that creep was going to get away with calling me your girlfriend?" I flipped my hair over my shoulder. "Can you even imagine?"  
  
"Uh."  
  
"Stay out of my way, Bakura," I told him firmly before walking away.  
  
Mom gave me a lecture that day.  
  
"Mai, why can't you keep out of trouble?" she asked me as we sat across from each other on my bed.  
  
"Why can't everyone just leave me alone?" I retorted.  
  
"Darling, man by nature is gregarious. People are meant to stay together."  
  
"No they aren't."  
  
"Mai, listen."  
  
"No, you listen!" I was shouting at her. "I don't need people around me, they only make my life more difficult, as if I didn't have enough problems of my own!"  
  
My mother sighed.  
  
"You should really try and make some friends."  
  
"What for? So I can become a dependent freak like everyone else?"  
  
"Life is a social experience," she informed me.  
  
"Life is too short to waste it on others and not yourself!"  
  
She stood up, and took a deep breath.  
  
"When you're older, you'll change your mind."  
  
"No I won't!" I screamed after her as she closed the door after herself.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
=Mom was wrong. Who says parents are always right? I'm much older than I was then, and I still haven't changed my point of view. Friends - they're only there to give you more trouble and an extra set of complications. I see no reason why those weaklings tend to pool together, maybe some people don't have that many problems. Stupid assholes=  
  
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Remember to always R&R as usual!!!!!! Tell me what u think about this chapter, and I don't mind flames. Anything is more than welcome!!!!! 


	4. Where does Friendship Lead?

Ok, sorry for the wait, you guys, I just had lots to do, school and stuff. Newayz, looking forward to some great reviews as always!!! ^_^ Yall are doing such a great job!!!  
  
Special thanks to all my reviewers, I luv all of you heaps!!! Enjoy the fic, and don't forget to review!!!  
  
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I Will Always be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
Chapter 4 - Where does friendship lead?  
  
I stopped to rest near a convenience store. Locking up the car, I wandered through the door. The cool air from inside hit me in the face, and I enjoyed the coolness around me. I browsed through the shelves, looking for something decent to eat. Finding nothing, I turned on my heel and came face to face with a man in a black suit.  
  
"Mai Valentine?" the man growled. He was tall and formal looking. His sunglasses and heavily gelled hair gave him a serious atmosphere.  
  
"What do you want?" I asked him, crossing my arms and glaring at him expectantly (what I like to call the 'Mai look' ^_^).  
  
"It's you all right," he smirked.  
  
He stretched out his arm, handing me a big white envelope.  
  
=Industrial Illusions? Haven't I heard that name before?=  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"A tournament at Duelist Kingdom?"  
  
I was standing near my locker when Yugi and his group passed by in the hall.  
  
"It's hosted by Industrial Illusions," Yugi was saying.  
  
"Hey, isn't that company run by Maximillion Pegasus?"  
  
"He's the creator of duel."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
=Maximillion Pegasus? He sounds rich.=  
  
I walked back out into the heat and got into my car. Curiosity overcame me, and I ripped open the envelope. Several items came falling out.  
  
=An invitation to the tournament?=  
  
Shaking out the remainder of the contents, a weird glove and two funny looking little stars fell out on the seat next to the cards.  
  
=What are those?=  
  
And then I saw the prize.  
  
=Three million dollars? That should be enough to keep me going, at least until I'll figure out a plan=  
  
At least now I knew where I had to go next. =Even if it's just a wild goose chase.=  
  
The next day I drove to the docks. The horde of duelists waiting to board was incredible.  
  
=Great, I've got to wait in line=  
  
"But Joey has a star chip, see?"  
  
I turned to look where the voice came from, and, sure enough, there was Yugi and his little friend.  
  
"Thanks Yug, You're a real pal."  
  
=Huh, what a bunch of sentimental nonsense. Friendship won't get you anywhere. It doesn't win duels for you, either. I don't know why those geeks even bother. I guess some people never learn=  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
I sat in my junior high cafeteria munching on a salad when I heard the scream. Turning slowly in the direction with a bored look on my face, I saw two girls glaring at each other. Clearly, they were about to fight, so I got up from where I was sitting, and joined the group of curious onlookers who gathered around.  
  
"How could you do this to me?" one of them was shouting at the top of her high-pitched voice.  
  
"It wasn't my fault! You screwed everything up, you bitch!"  
  
"How can you even say that? I thought you were my friend!" the first one wailed.  
  
"Well I ain't your friend anymore!"  
  
Immediately after she finished the sentence, her fist came in contact with the other girl's jaw. She staggered back from the shock, but did not hit back.  
  
"Stop! Please, I don't want to hurt you!"  
  
"Well I do," and she swung another punch into the stomach.  
  
"What's going on here?" and at the sound of the principal's voice, everyone hurried back to their spots, leaving only the two girls in the middle of the room.  
  
"What's all this?" the principal asked again, and when no one responded, he helped the girl on the floor stand up.  
  
"Both of you, in my office, now!" he growled.  
  
I've never found out what they were fighting about. I never make other people's business my own. I've heard about the suspension a few days later, though. They both got kicked out of the school. As I passed the quieter girl in the hallway just before she left, I looked her in the face.  
  
"You should have hit her back," was all I said before turning to leave. She caught me by my arm.  
  
"I could never do that. She's my friend."  
  
"She's not anymore, and probably never was to begin with. Take my advice, hon, you're better off alone."  
  
When she didn't say anything else, I left her standing alone. I never saw her again.  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
Yugi and Joey have already boarded the ship, both of them. I followed a while later.  
  
=Those two only have one star chip each. I should eliminate them both from the tournament for good=  
  
It was getting chilly on deck, so I decided to go ahead and make myself comfortable in my luxury room. As a regional champion, I was entitled to one.  
  
"Hey Mai, long time no see," a pesky little voice said behind me. I turned, and didn't see anyone. When I turned to continue on my way, I heard it again, but I kept moving anyway. I didn't make a habit of responding to pranks.  
  
"Huh, you still haven't changed, have you?"  
  
At this point I tripped over something in my way. I straightened out my clothes and regained my balance, and only then did I turn to see what had caused me to stumble.  
  
"Ow, that hurts, ya know!" Weevil was lying on his back on the floor of the hallway, rubbing his sore side.  
  
"Weevil? Didn't see you there," I suppressed a giggle. "Ever since regionals, you were kinda invisible, know what I mean?"  
  
My hand went up to my mouth to cover up the giggles that were threatening to burst out into a fit of laughter.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know everyone expected me to win," he smirked. "I went easy on you."  
  
"Oh, please, everyone knows you lost to me just because I was more determined to wipe the arena with you, and besides, the only reason you ever were a semi-finalist was because of your cheating ways," I smiled evilly down at him.  
  
=Little punk=  
  
Turning on my heel, I ignored his little scratchy voice shouting obscenities after me as I calmly proceeded to my room.  
  
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Um, yeah, so please review and tell me what yall thought about it, k?? ^_^ 


	5. Being Nice gives you one Hell of a Heada...

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
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Anime Queen runs into the room: Yall have no idea how sorry I am!! I took me forever to update this fic!!! And I'm sorry, I no it says romance, but that will come later, I promise!!! Ok, yall can read the fic now.  
  
Person in the door: You forgot the disclaimer *stands there shaking his head* she's going to get us sued.  
  
Anime Queen: o_O sorry. well, here goes: I do not own YGO, and I wont go into hysterics cuz I've tried to own it, but I cant!!!!! *goes into hysterics on the floor*  
  
Person in the door: There she goes again. Enjoy the fic, and please review, or ure gonna get me fired.  
  
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Chapter 5 - Being Nice Gives you one Hell of a Headache.  
  
=.= - Mai's thoughts  
  
I sat in my room on the ship, preparing my dueling deck. I would need to rely on my old skills in order to prevail in the tournament. My cards haven't failed me in the regionals, and they won't fail me now.  
  
=I know the dweebs who faced each other in the regional championships, but there are still some duelists whose strategies I haven't seen yet=  
  
I slipped my deck into my purple jacket pocket and headed out, locking my room. I walked into the common room, and all the noise hit me full speed in the face. I raised my hands protectively to my ears to avoid bursting my ear drums.  
  
There must have been thousands of people in that room, and they all seemed to be talking at the same time. I walked through the masses of duelists trading, chatting and dueling with one another.  
  
=Amateurs. Came all this way and still improving their decks=  
  
I walked outside and stood at the railing, looking out to where the sun was setting.  
  
"No! Those were the cards that my grandpa gave me!"  
  
I turned to see where the exclamations came from. The next thing I saw was someone diving off the ship, making a big splash. Then more voices, and a second person dove in too. When they had both resurfaced, I recognized them as Yugi and Joey.  
  
=What will those idiots think of next?= I thought, shaking my head. And then I saw the duel monsters cards floating face up on the water.  
  
=Exodia? Where did the little twerp get cards that rare?=  
  
Joey was now sinking again, and Yugi had to support him.  
  
=Now, how can I use this situation to my advantage?=  
  
I stood there, kinda thinking it over. Finally, I formulated a clear plan of action. I grabbed a rope ladder and threw it over the railing.  
  
"Hey Yugi!" I shouted down into the water, where I could still make out his yellow, red and black hair. He looked up, saw me, and started swimming towards the ladder, dragging Joey behind him. I offered them my hand and pulled them over the railing. "Thanks, Mai," Yugi panted, his hands on his knees. He and Joey were now soaking on the upper deck.  
  
"No problem!" I smiled at them, and then pretended to notice their wet clothes with shock. "Oh, you must be freezing!"  
  
I grabbed them by the sleeves of their shirts and pulled them inside.  
  
"Come on up to my room, I'll fix you something to drink," I said in a pleasant voice. There was no need to drag them now; they were walking quite freely behind me.  
  
"Thanks," I heard Yugi say again.  
  
"Of course! Fellow duelists ought to look out for one another!" I turned my head and winked at the boys. Yugi was blushing madly, and Joey had that goofy grin on his face.  
  
=They're such a joke=  
  
We continued walking in silence, and finally reached the door to my room. While I was unlocking it, I saw Joey give Yugi a questioning glance, and the latter shrugging his shoulders in response. I smiled inwardly.  
  
=They have no idea=  
  
I let them through and shut the door.  
  
"Please, sit down!" I smiled yet again and motioned to the couch. "I'll be right back!" I walked into the kitchen and searched in my pockets for some Advil. This little plan of mine was costing me a growing headache.  
  
I put on some water and took out the only two mugs and glass out of the cupboard. I returned to the main room to see Yugi and Joey still dripping on the carpeting.  
  
"Oh, silly me!" I faked another happy face. "The bathroom's over that way, help yourselves!"  
  
"Thanks," they replied in unison, and carefully walked around the furniture. As soon as they were gone, I popped another pill into my mouth.  
  
=Instant relief?= I stared at the label murderously. =I'll overdose ten times over before this goddamn headache goes away!=  
  
The kettle beeped to let me know the water boiled. I found some instant cocoa and stirred up the drinks. I put them in the microwave to keep them warm.  
  
=They're certainly taking long. Hope those dumb wits can find the bath robes=  
  
I sat on the high stool, and contemplated about the contest until the boys emerged, clad in the spare robes. I put out the drinks for them and we drank in silence. When I went to the kitchen, I caught a bit of their conversation.  
  
"Hey Yug, why do you think Mai's being all nice all of a sudden?"  
  
"I don't know, but maybe she's changed for the batter," Yugi replied quietly.  
  
=Knowing Joey, he'll go along with whatever Yugi says, and that fits perfectly with my plan=  
  
"I'm sorry, Yugi," Joey continued after a while. "I'm sorry I couldn't get your cards back."  
  
"That's all right, Joey," Yugi replied.  
  
=What? They didn't get the cards, and that's all right with Yugi? Man, these dweebs stink even more than I thought possible. Pathetic that I should have anything to do with them, but it must be done=  
  
I sighed and returned back to the room with a packet of crackers and set it in front of them.  
  
"So, how did you and up in the water?" I asked them, chewing on a piece of a cracker.  
  
"It was that slime ball, Weevil!" Joey exploded, almost spilling the hot liquid from his cup.  
  
"Calm down," Yugi cautioned, and then continued, "Weevil threw my Exodia cards overboard, and Joey tried to save them, and. well, we're just lucky you came along when you did," he smiled.  
  
I forced another sweet smile.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I wish there was something I could do to help."  
  
=Yuck! Did I just say that?=  
  
"No, it's ok for now, thanks for the food!" Joey grinned goofily, and dug into the biscuits once again.  
  
=I just hope all this pays off when the time comes= I thought sadly, watching as the last of the bread crumbs disappeared.  
  
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Thanks for reading!!! Don't forget to review as usual, yall are doing an exceptional job!!!! And be on the lookout for the next chapter!!! 


	6. Dark Water

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
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Hey all!! First of all, thank you for all the reviews ^_^ I love you all for them!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own YGO, but you all know that, right? It's just for the legal purposes that I have to... Newayz, enjoy the fic! And don't forget to review!!!  
  
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Chapter 6 - Dark Water  
  
=I thought that bunch would never leave=  
  
I stood outside my cabin door and looked down at the water. It was dark already, and all I could see was blackness. Only the soft lapping sound of the waves against the hull told me that the water was really down there. Everything else was quiet.  
  
Suddenly I had an urge to jump. How easy that would be! No contest to win, no dysfunctional family life to worry about. But then I really didn't care too much of those things. If I died, nothing would change. The contest would go on, and my mother would continue doing whatever she was doing. And I will still be alone. There's no difference, right? I would spend all eternity in solitary confinement with no worries, or cares, or other people that get on my nerves. How much that option looked like paradise! I guess I was too bored to put up with this. But like I said, there would be little difference, and whatever difference there'd be, I'm sure it will be for the best. Besides, a little cold water will do me good.  
  
I came closer to the railing, and held on to it with both hands. I looked out below me, but all there was, was darkness. I figured I would just be falling and falling into the black forever. That's what I was doing all my seventeen years anyway. This will be no different, just a lot calmer. I leaned over, thinking about how I should do it. Just tumble over the rails? Or get to the other side first? Or maybe stand on the railing and dive? I wondered if there were sharks down below.  
  
Would it really kill me if I jumped? I guess not, or at least not right away. This wasn't the best way to die, but the water looked so inviting! I would probably drift for a while and then, who knows? I laughed out loud. To be truthful, I had no idea what would happen to me.  
  
"To jump, or not to jump, that is the question," I said aloud, and then laughed some more.  
  
=I crack myself up=  
  
Then I looked down at the water again.  
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"Honey, what's all this?"  
  
My mother had to come pick me up after they called her from the school.  
  
"They told me you started a fight!" she exclaimed, obviously demanding an explanation. I was in seventh grade then.  
  
"I didn't start anything, just finished it."  
  
"Mai, you hit some kid in the face! That's not something to be proud of!"  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Come on, let's go home."  
  
We rode in her truck when she started again.  
  
"You should try to fit in and make some friends, Mai."  
  
When I didn't say anything, she continued.  
  
"It's tough, not having someone to fall back on. And why all this anger?"  
  
"It's not anger."  
  
"Then what is it? There are better ways to deal with it."  
  
"He deserved it."  
  
"Why, I'm shocked, no one deserves to be punched in the face! How would you feel if someone did that to you?"  
  
"He did."  
  
"Now there's another reason. If you had friends to stand up for you."  
  
END FLASHBACK  
  
What was it with Mom always trying to get me friends? Why is it supposed to be such a big deal anyway? So what if I didn't go around in the middle of a crowd like everyone else seemed to be doing? They only slow you down anyway, so what was the point of it being such a problem? It's not like I was missing out on something important.  
  
I looked down, and jumped. It made me loose my balance a little. I had no idea I was sitting on the railing. I grabbed metal, and steadied myself. The sound of distant footsteps floated through the air, warning me of someone approaching. First I saw the long purple coat, then the ice blue eyes. He was coming my way, looking at nothing in particular. I stared straight ahead into the darkness, hearing his footsteps as he passed me without a word and then continued on down the deck. I looked at the water, and felt sick. I didn't want to jump anymore.  
  
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There! I know this was a little shorter than usual, but I tried my best, I really did!!! I'd really appreciate some constructive criticism from yall, since I really do need to improve... and don't forget to review and make me happy ^_^!! 


	7. People are so Irritating!

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
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Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, obviously. If I did, I would charge yall for every fic you wrote on it!! *evil laughter*  
  
Yami Yugi: She's kidding, of course.  
  
Anime Queen: *evil laughter continues*  
  
Yami Yugi: Onto the fic, then!  
  
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Chapter 7 - People are so Irritating!  
  
I stood near the windows in the inside hallway. It's gotten quite cold and windy outside, and the water was making it worse.  
  
I could see him standing on the opposite end, apparently talking on the phone. Who does he think he is, Mr. Fancy Stuff? How conceited he looked just then. Probably some big company business.  
  
And then I thought about the time I was going to jump. Why didn't I? I refuse to believe there even was a cause. I just didn't, I guess, and that's it.  
  
He stopped talking, and just stood there. We both just stood there. We both just stood there. I kind of expected him to go somewhere or to get back on the phone, but he didn't.  
  
"What are you thinking about, Mai?"  
  
I turned and looked at the ever grinning Joey Wheeler.  
  
=Thinking about throwing you over board= I thought, but aloud,  
  
"Oh, just the competition, you know."  
  
"Yeah, I'm kind of nervous about the whole thing too," he nodded.  
  
=Why is he telling me all this?=  
  
"Hey, don't worry about it, you'll be fine!"  
  
I was appalled by my behavior, but I knew that it will pay off sooner or later. And to have an extra scapegoat made it kind of easier.  
  
"Thanks Mai," he grinned. "I guess you're really more than the other kids give you credit for."  
  
=Damn right I am!=  
  
"Well, I got to get going. See you around!"  
  
I waved as he disappeared. What did he mean, the other kids? I knew they were avoiding me, but that's how I liked it. Treat them the way you want to be treated. So I ignore them, and they talk about me behind my back. I didn't have a problem with that at all.  
  
The ship jerked suddenly, and I felt the engine die. The lights were briefly extinguished, and by the time they came back on, people were already talking in hushed excited whispers. The captain's voice floated over the ship.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, please don't panic, we've run into some engine trouble, but we should-" his voice was cut out with the sound of a single gunshot, and the line went beeping, until another shot cut the sound off. This time someone screamed, and everyone was running. I stayed to observe, and, sure enough, I heard more screams, and then everyone was suddenly pushing against each other to get back inside.  
  
=What's their problem?=  
  
I had no choice but to get inside the main room. Everyone waited and waited and waited.  
  
"Hey Joey!" I heard Yugi shout. Apparently, they all lost each other in the commotion.  
  
"Yug! Over here!" Joey answered.  
  
"Guys? Where are you?" Tea's voice sounded behind me, and I saw Tristan jumping up and down to see over the general crowd. The four all met up next to where I was standing.  
  
"Does anyone know what's going on?" Yugi asked the group. Then he noticed me, and they all walked to be closer. "Hey Mai, do you have any idea?"  
  
"No clue," I shook my head. I heard yelling at one end of the room, but even before I turned around, I knew it was that punk Kaiba causing some kind of trouble. I saw someone drag him away, but he was struggling. Another couple of shots were fired almost simultaneously, and the next thing I knew, Kaiba was on the run, his trench coat trailing after him. Well, ok, the people were noisy and annoying, and probably a lot of bother, but were guns really necessary?  
  
The crowd started getting tighter towards the center, but no one had any idea what was happening. I slid in between the panicking teens closer to the wall. From there, I started inching towards the exit to the lower decks and cabins. I encountered an armed man in the hallway, who did not look like he was one of the ship's original crew. I was on his neck before he even saw me, and after taking his gun and wallet, I was gone.  
  
I didn't risk going to my cabin, and, besides, I didn't have to. Everything I owned was safely in my backpack over my shoulder. Always on the lookout for more of those weirdoes, I made my way down, encountering no one. It was like the ship was completely deserted. The clicking sound coming from around the corner brought me to attention. I drew my gun out, and proceeded slowly. I couldn't hear any more disturbance from them on the other side anymore. I paused before rounding the corner with my gun pointed at whatever was on the other side.  
  
Or whoever, for that matter. Kaiba sat there holding his breath, pointing his own gun back at me. When he saw who I was, he lowered the gun and exhaled.  
  
"Oh, it's just you," I lowered my gun too, and turned to go down the hallway. I heard Kaiba inhale sharply, and paused to see what was wrong. He was busy trying to pull his jacket off of his shoulder with one hand, while clenching his other hand in a fist on the ground. The purple fabric came off partially, and through the blue of his shirt, I caught a glimpse of red. Those bastards must have shot him. I thought about continuing on, but where was I going anyway?  
  
I sighed and sank down on my knees to rummage in my backpack. I found what I was looking for almost instantly - a roll of white hospital bandage. Kaiba struggled a little trying to expose the wound in his shoulder, but it was somewhat of a challenge, using his left hand. I crawled over to where he was sitting, and proceeded to help him. He waved off my efforts.  
  
"I think I can manage," and he stretched out his good hand for the bandage.  
  
"Get lost Kaiba."  
  
I got his shirt off his shoulder, and used a piece of bandage to clean up part of the blood so the actual wound could be seen. He didn't protest as I started to wrap the bandage around his shoulder. When I was done, I wiped my hands on my handkerchief and sat with my back against the wall.  
  
"Well that was pretty disgusting," I remarked lightly. I never thought that first aid classes would ever come in handy.  
  
"Thanks," Kaiba replied dryly, and started to get up.  
  
"Where are you going?" I asked him, but I guess I really didn't care.  
  
"I have to get off the ship. Those people are after me."  
  
"No shit. So where will you go? They're all over this fucking boat."  
  
He glared coldly at me and I glared back.  
  
"Whatever," I waved him off.  
  
"Whatever," he shrugged back, and left. I guess I kind of expected to hear the yells and gunshots, and I hesitated briefly before checking the gun, and looking out into the hallway. They had Kaiba in a grip between two of them, and there were three more down at the ladder. I aimed and took out one of the men holding Kaiba, then one of the guys at the ladder. They turned and saw me, so I had no choice but to finish off the remaining two. All of a sudden a whole bunch of them swarmed the hallway, and I heard bullets flying over my head. Something knocked me over, and I blacked out as I hit my head on the wall.  
  
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Hehe, this was kinda long... but I don't mind! All this week I was on an updating roll. Probably all that caffeine *sigh* and sugar! ^_^ lol. Well, as usual, comments or suggestions or anything else? Please Review!!!!!!! 


	8. Now We're Even

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
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Back from my long break! I just couldn't stay away from this world! I belong in fanficdom!!!! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!!! It's getting irritating to put up the disclaimer all the time, but it's beats ending up sued ^_^  
  
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Chapter 8 - Now We're Even  
  
=...= Mai's thoughts  
  
I sat in the corner of the small room, holding my still aching head. Seto Kaiba paced around in the center, looking impatient and angry. But I guess that's what all rich guys with power act like.  
  
"Hey you!" Seto suddenly shouted through the door at the sound of approaching footsteps. "Let me out! I demand an explanation!"  
  
I snorted.  
  
"Let it go Kaiba."  
  
"How dare those good-for-nothing pieces of shit!" he spat through the tiny window, and it could be heard hitting the wall on the other side. "Don't they know who I am!"  
  
"That's why they've got you, duh."  
  
I rolled my eyes. For an owner of a major company, he sure seemed slow.  
  
"Well you're overly calm, for someone imprisoned for nothing," he bit out.  
  
"Do you really think I'm okay with this?!" I jumped to my feet. My head swam, but I ignored it. "You're exactly right - I didn't do anything! The only reason I'm in this dump is because of you, you fucking bastard!"  
  
"No one asked you to come to help me! You did that on your own, so stop blaming me!"  
  
"No one asked you for the money, either!"  
  
We glared at each other.  
  
"I guess we're even, then," he said in a greatly calmed-down tone.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
My head hurt, and I sank back down into the corner, pouting. He sighed in irritation, and leaned his head against the door. I closed my eyes to try to calm down, and make the pain go away. I heard him moving around, but I didn't give a shit as to what he was going to do. His soft footsteps stopped close to me, and I heard his trench coat rustle.  
  
"Does it hurt bad?" his voice was completely calm now, and really quiet.  
  
"What do you care?" I muttered under my breath. He sighed in frustration, and I opened my eyes. He was crouching next to me, looking angrily at the ground.  
  
"What's your problem? I'm only trying to make things better," he got up abruptly.  
  
"Oh, yeah, you now made everything so much better than it was before -" my tirade was interrupted by a clattering sound at my feet. "... I knew you..." I finished slowly, picking up the small bottle of Advil he threw.  
  
=Why? Why is he trying to be nice? Is it because he feels guilty for dragging me into this? Well he should! It's all his fault!=  
  
"I don't need any," I said airily, although my head painfully insisted otherwise. I rolled the bottle back to him across the floor, and it hit him in the back of his shoes. Kaiba looked like he was going to explode. He grabbed the bottle, and squeezed it so hard that the top came off with a loud pop. He advanced onto me with gritted teeth.  
  
"Quit being so stubborn! Now we both know your fucking head hurts like hell, so whatever god damn problem you have with me - suck it up, and swallow this right this minute!" he shook out two pills from the bottle, and thrust them into my face. I smacked them out, and got up.  
  
"Don't yell at me! You have no damn right! I don't have to take this shit from you, you don't even know me!"  
  
"You're impossible," he spat out in disgust, and took a step closer to me.  
  
=Who does he think he is? My mother?=  
  
"Don't you take another step or I'll punch your face in!" I balled my hand into a fist. "I'm warning you Kaiba!"  
  
My headache went from being a dull throbbing pain to a really loud thumping sound that seemed able enough to crack my skull in two. Kaiba was moving closer to me, and I swung with my fist, but I touched nothing but air.  
  
His image slid in and out of focus, and I started to feel dizzy. I felt the two Advil pills sliding into my mouth, and falling down my throat. I made an effort to swallow, since I knew I would otherwise choke. My eyelids felt heavy, and all I could hear was the loud beating of my heart.  
  
I guess I dozed off, because I don't remember consciously lying down on the floor. And I certainly don't remember having Kaiba's trench coat on top of me.  
  
I opened my eyes fully, wincing in advance and expecting the pain to come back. But instead, no matter how much I thought about it, my head was just fine. I guess that was some strong Advil.  
  
For the first time, I became aware of the fat that I wasn't alone on the floor. I turned to my side gently, and soot I was looking at a sleeping Seto. He didn't look like the all-mighty owner of Kaiba Corp at all, with his hair all over, his clothes rumpled, and without his beloved jacket. I fingered the material over me, and suddenly I had this strange thought and smiled.  
  
It was dark out, so I assumed it was around one am. I didn't have a chance to examine our prison, with my headache and shouting matches with Seto. A single ray of moonlight fell into the center of the room from a tiny window far up on the opposite wall, but it was enough to distinguish a pile of bags in one of the corners.  
  
=Must be Seto's=  
  
I sighed. Then, a brown strap jutting out from the bottom caught my eye.  
  
=Can it be mine?=  
  
I got out from under Seto's coat, and pulled it over the sleeping figure next to me.  
  
=There, now he looks more like himself= And I smiled again.  
  
I crawled over to the pile of luggage, and hurriedly threw the top bags aside. I was right - it was my backpack. Now that I thought about it, I was really hungry. I groped around, and pulled out a chocolate bar.  
  
The stirring in the corner took my attention from the piece of chocolate already in my mouth. Looked like Seto was waking up. I shrugged and turned back to my food.  
  
"You know, I guess it was all my fault," he said quietly, his voice still sleepy.  
  
"U-hum, I know."  
  
"Hey, I'm trying to apologize here!" But he wasn't really yelling.  
  
=I bet he's not even sorry. He just wants the chocolate=  
  
"Forgive and forget aren't things that I do. But that was a good try," I sighed and threw him a bar of Milky-Way.  
  
I could hear him gritting his teeth.  
  
"I wasn't begging for food!"  
  
"No?" I raised my eyebrows. "Well then, give it back," I held out my hand. "Come on, hand it over."  
  
"Maybe just half," he said sheepishly, and broke the bar in two. I waved my hand.  
  
"Keep it. You're so pathetic."  
  
He ate it all, and we were back to being silent. We were even once again. Him, the owner of Kaiba Corp, and me, a runaway nobody - we were both in the same boat.  
  
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Ahh! Done! God, I've been typing up all the fics today for hours, cuz I haven't been typing them during the week ^^U My fingers hurt *whine whine whine* Please review so my efforts wouldn't be in vain!! ^_^ 


	9. Against My Will

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
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Another chapter is out!! I had to write it quickly, cuz I need time to work on my original fiction and manga... not that I didn't enjoy it, of course! I like the way the story's turning out, and already I have 9 chapters of it! Still no idea how they're gonna get out of this mess they're in, but whatever... enjoy, and please review!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or any of its characters, just this fic!  
  
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Chapter 9 - Against My Will  
  
We were back to sitting in silence. It was quite common now that neither of us wanted to initiate a conversation that would inevitably end up in another argument. The fact remained that we were prisoners in a cell, no matter how much we wanted to think otherwise.  
  
=Wonder what Kaiba has in all of these,= I thought, looking over his heap of luggage. =Probably some really high-tech stuff to do with the company= Then I had an idea.  
  
"Hey Kaiba," I didn't really feel like talking, so the words escaped with a sigh. "Don't you have some kind of communications device, like a satellite phone, or a cell phone, or something?"  
  
"Who do I look like, James Bond?" he sighed in irritation. "Of course I don't."  
  
"Don't you always need to carry something in case someone needs to reach you?"  
  
He looked at me wearily. "If I wanted them to reach me, then, yes."  
  
"You didn't take a phone with you because you wanted to disappear?" I shook my head. "Well, now we'll both disappear, you like that? Huh?" I started yelling from my spot in the opposite corner. "Now we're both gonna die, because of you and your head banger theories about how everyone wants to know where you are all the time! Well now nobody knows where you are, you happy?" I stopped for breath and continued in a low voice, "We're both gonna die."  
  
"Shut up!" he bellowed back at me. "Shut the fuck up! You don't know anything! You don't know what the hell you're talking about! Stop judging me, because you know nothing about me!"  
  
"We're gonna die," I said simply and quietly, looking him in the eye.  
  
"No we're not."  
  
"Oh, what are you gonna do, pull out a magic wand and wish us out of here?" I laughed ruefully. "No, that's not gonna happen. You want to know what is? I'll die, and you'll die! We will both die here!" I covered my face with my hands, only now fully realizing that it might as well happen. They weren't feeding us, and my chocolate will run out eventually. I fought to keep from sobbing, and curled up on my side in my corner, my hair over my face.  
  
"Maybe I deserve to die," I heard Kaiba say on the other side of the room. I opened my eyes out of interest.  
  
=Why would he say such a thing?=  
  
I waited for him to continue.  
  
"This life that I have, back in Tokyo, is what's keeping me alive, but it also destroys me. Richest man in the city," he chuckled sadly, "and look where it's brought me. I'm like a curse, I make everyone around me suffer, even people I don't know, all because of who I am."  
  
"A multi-billionaire?" I asked meekly from under my hair.  
  
"Yes. A multi-billionaire. And where are those billions now?" he laughed in a frightening voice, like a madman. "Money can't save people. It couldn't save my parents, it can't save my brother, it can't save you, and it can't save me."  
  
"What happened to them, your family, I mean?"  
  
He was silent, so I figured he wasn't going to tell me. But then he started talking again.  
  
"My parents... they died when I was little. My younger brother was all I had left. And now that creep Pegasus took him away too!" he jumped up and hit the wall with both his fists. "And all because I'm Seto Kaiba, owner and founder of Kaiba Corp!" I watched him wearily as he sank to his knees, and hit the wall again.  
  
"I really do deserve to die!" he started punching his knuckles into the wall with a loud thumping noise. I propped myself up on my elbow, surprised at witnessing Kaiba go mental.  
  
"Hey, that's enough," I told him calmly after he drove his sore knuckles into the cement once again, pulling them out cracked. He didn't seem to hear me. He started sobbing, too, still punching his knuckles into the wall. I saw the blood seep through his fingers, and got up. I walked over to him, and put my hands on his shoulder blades.  
  
"That's enough," I repeated sternly into his ear. When he didn't respond, I grabbed his wrists, and turned him around to face me. He was crying.  
  
I let go of his hands, which were now a bloody mess, and he leaned back against the wall. I sighed in relief now that he was done, and got a few bandages out of my bag. He calmed down and stopped crying, although his tears were still wet on his face. Neither of us said anything as I bandaged his hands carefully.  
  
=Why do I always end up looking after his wounds? It's not like I'm his doctor, and I don't owe him anything=  
  
After I finished, I sat next to him to make sure he was completely calm. I really didn't want to see him like that again. It seemed like a very long time before he spoke.  
  
"Why were you on the ship to Duelist Kingdom?" he sounded tired, and not like he cared. I answered him anyway.  
  
"Why else? To compete in the tournament, of course."  
  
"Why do you duel?"  
  
"It's the only option I have left."  
  
He turned his head to me, and his mouth twitched in a kind of smile.  
  
"You never told me about your past."  
  
I sighed. "I never wanted to talk about something I was running from."  
  
=Until now,= I realized that in fact, I did want to talk about it.  
  
He nodded, as if understanding.  
  
"My mom killed my dad, and then disappeared," I told him, biting my lip. "They were always arguing, so I guess I knew it was going to end up like this."  
  
"So you decided to go to Duelist Kingdom for the prize money?"  
  
I nodded, half expecting him to laugh. He didn't.  
  
"And you're going to help your kid brother, am I right?"  
  
"That's the idea. Those jerks on my advisory board wouldn't let me go and waste the time I could spend paying them," he chuckled.  
  
=So that's what it's like to have someone to take care of=  
  
I looked up at Seto, and couldn't help but admire him. Even against the grain, he still wants to help his brother. I might even have called it a noble cause, but then I would sound too much like my mother.  
  
"I'm sorry, about your parent," I told him quietly.  
  
"And I'm sorry about yours."  
  
He thought for a moment, and then added,  
  
"You still think all this is my fault?"  
  
"I thought I already told you what I thought."  
  
"Tell me again," he turned to me, and I looked up into his face.  
  
"No."  
  
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Done! Well, please tell me what you thought, I appreciate reviews!! Judging by the number of reviews I got for this story, I dare say it's the most popular out of all my fics. I love you ppl!!! Please review!! 


	10. Trying to Stay Alive is Everything

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
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A/N: I'm so sorry for taking so long... But, as I've said before, school is keeping me very busy! ^o^ Either way, let's get on with the thanks, and the story.  
  
WhazzupShay  
  
Hart  
  
AnimeQueen  
  
Sissi  
  
ChildofMidnight  
  
Shenelle  
  
Yuri  
  
Joeys Girl  
  
Lynx Wings  
  
Bana the Random  
  
Thanks so much for the reviews you guys!! I know it looked like I've abandoned it but I haven't!!! I loved this fic from the beginning, and still love it, and I promise, I will see it through to the end!!!! ^___^  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh. Just really really like it! ^_^  
  
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Chapter 10 - Trying to Stay Alive is Everything  
  
=...= Mai's thoughts  
  
His face was mere inches from mine, and no sooner have I uttered the word, he quickly closed the distance. His hot lips were on mine, and his bandaged hand caressed my hair and face. More out of surprise than anything else, I reached up to his shoulders to keep from falling over to the side. When I finally realized what he was doing, I pushed away from him.  
  
"What the hell..." I muttered, inching sideways away from him along the wall. He leaned backwards, and sighed, closing his eyes.  
  
"Sorry," he whispered.  
  
"Yeah, you should be." I've regained myself, and straightened up. "Just because we are both confined in this shithole, doesn't mean that you should let your hormones loose like there's no tomorrow."  
  
I thought I'd heard him laughing, and turned to look. Kaiba was, indeed, chortling doubled up on the floor.  
  
=Great. The last thing I need is for Kaiba to go mental on me=  
  
As the guffawing continued without letting up, I rolled my eyes.  
  
=Look at mighty Kaiba now= I thought bitterly. I edged a little closer to the writhing body on the floor, and poked his back with the tip of my boot. He was really freaking me out.  
  
"Kaiba... you can stop now," I said, prodding him some more, hoping that he heard me.  
  
Apparently, he didn't notice that he was acting like a lunatic. He jumped up onto his knees, and threw his arms around my shoulders, still laughing. He quickly leaned in and headed for my mouth again. This time I was quick enough to dodge, so his lips landed on my jaw.  
  
I couldn't take this kind of behavior anymore, so I hit him. My hand caught him on the left cheek, leaving the area slightly redder than the rest of his face.  
  
I kind of felt guilty at first, what if he really is mad? But what was I supposed to do?  
  
Kaiba staggered back from the force of the blow, and landed square on his butt. He sat there a while, rubbing his cheek.  
  
"Ouch! That was some kiss!" he slurred, before rolling over, out cold.  
  
Now I was feeling really bad. I hadn't meant to knock him out, but he didn't give me any choice. Besides, if he didn't wake up soon, it would be me who'll go crazy next.  
  
=It was his own fault= I reassured myself staring at Seto Kaiba's unmoving form. I sat there in silence, partly waiting for Kaiba to get back to normal, and for the most part trying not to go to sleep. I've lost all track of time - the only way to tell if it was day or night was the faint light coming from the tiny window. But how many days, or was it weeks, we spent confined in the room was impossible to determine.  
  
=Kaiba probably has a watch, but I have no idea what date it was= I've never bothered to keep record of time - it passes whether one acknowledges it or not, I just couldn't see the point in keeping track. Makes you think of all the time you've already wasted.  
  
The door handle rattled, and my gaze immediately fell upon the door. They never opened it before, so I made sure they didn't catch me by surprise. I looked at Kaiba for a brief moment, but then shook my head.  
  
=It's every man for himself=  
  
I tiptoed silently over to the corner where I left my bag, and dug inside for something that could be used as a weapon. Except for my school supplies, first aid objects and my dueling deck, I couldn't find anything even remotely useful against armed kidnappers. I sighed, and crawled back to where Kaiba was still curled up on the floor. Clutching my backpack, I waited for whoever it was on the other side to come in.  
  
After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally swung open, revealing an armed middle-aged man. He inched into the room, as if expecting an attack. He slowly surveyed our bags, and then glanced over Kaiba and me for the longest time. Finally he moved forward slowly, jumping back a little when Kaiba stirred.  
  
"What are you two up to?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.  
  
I shrugged, trying to maintain my posture, even though the open door was really tempting, but impossible to get to before the guy would shoot.  
  
"I don't believe you," he kept glancing in between Kaiba and me, and when he finally got satisfied that we were unarmed, seemed to relax a little.  
  
Kaiba's movements exactly at that moment were impossible to distinguish from what seemed like a blur of purple. In an instant, the man was down, bleeding profusely through a series of small punctures on his throat. Air hissed out, spraying drops of his blood on the floor as he fell.  
  
I inched against the wall, trying to fuse with the bricks, and just stared. Seto Kaiba bent down and laid a silver pen, now stained red, on the floor, and picked up the dead man's rifle.  
  
"Come on, we have to go."  
  
I just clutched my bag closer, not saying anything.  
  
"I said, let's go!" he barked roughly, and pulled me out of my sitting position by my arm. I stumbled over the body, but he was still dragging me out the door.  
  
The initial shock wore off, and I jerked my arm out of his hand. He didn't look back, and we continued down the hallway. There were little light bulbs on the high ceiling, and they illuminated many doors, just like the one we just broke out of.  
  
I bumped into Seto's shoulder, and realized that he stopped. We came to a corner, and he held out his arm to stop me from going any further, pushing me against the wall. He peeked around the corner, rifle held at ready, and almost immediately dove back against the wall.  
  
"Someone must have tripped an alarm, the whole place is swarming with gunmen," he swore under his breath, not looking at me once.  
  
"So what are we going to do?" I asked, mainly because I needed to say something, but didn't care too much for the answer.  
  
"This is all we have to work with," he sighed, checking to see how many bullets were left in his gun. "I'll try to take out those bozos in the hallway, and then we'll make a run for it."  
  
It sounded like a plan, however impossible it seemed. I nodded, and he looked at me briefly.  
  
"Let's do this," I licked my dry lips, and waited for Seto to make his move.  
  
Almost immediately I heard three distinct gunshots, and then, after peeking out, I moved. Two of the guards were down on the floor, their various body parts hit and leaking blood. The last guard was clutching his bleeding side, but was very much alive. He yelled something out, but I hadn't had the chance to distinguish it over the noise of two more rapid gunshots, and then a searing pain somewhere down my hand. I hadn't stopped running down the hallway until I rounded the corner and waited for Seto, who was still in the conflict.  
  
After my breathing has calmed down and I was no longer gasping for air, the pain in my left hand surfaced again, overtaking my body and commanding my attention away from Seto and our current situation.  
  
Apparently, the bulled hit just above my thumb, and tore through the muscle and bone, coming out on the lower side of my palm. I winced when I tried to move my fingers, and found that I couldn't completely close my hand because of a piece of metal still lodged in my skin.  
  
Seto rounded the corner, panting heavily, still firing rapidly until a dead guard's hand plopped lifelessly before me, and then everything got quiet. The blood from my injured hand slicked down my fingers, falling in little droplets onto my clothes and the floor, and  
  
Seto must have noticed. He shook his head violently in exasperation, and roughly pushed through me.  
  
"Damn," he cursed, shoving me aside, but being careful not to hit my hand. "As if we don't have enough trouble already," he muttered, referring to my injury, and I pouted back at him.  
  
"As if I had a choice," I leaned to pick up the dead guard's gun with my good hand.  
  
"Do you even know how to use that?" Kaiba sighed in frustration and proceeded to reload his weapon with the bullets he scavenged off of the dead. He hadn't noticed the armed guard that was sneaking up on us from the next corner, gun held at ready. I raised the gun, and pulled the trigger with much effort, but little hesitation.  
  
"I guess I do," I breathed, and watched the blood pool around the body, My own blood was still flowing freely, and I didn't care about the morality of taking lives. I wanted out.  
  
**********************************************************  
  
Well, now for some ranting! (it's Yugioh oriented of course!)  
  
I was thinking it would be neat to draw Mai with her injured hand and the gun in the last part... I don't know if I'll have time tho... (being a senior is really hard until the new year! College apps, etc... ~_~)  
  
But overall, I think I'm doing pretty well so far. Okay, so I haven't had a chance to sit down and write or watch as much anime on tv, but at least I'm not freaking out and not thinking of killing myself. There are people who do that you know!  
  
Okay, I won't rant here anymore. It takes up all of your time, and I know how precious it is! ^_~ So please review! And please don't give up on me and my poor temporarily abandoned fics! 


	11. Some Things Never Change

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
Chapter 11  
  
A/N:  
  
Hawk Sage: I'm glad you're enjoying this fic! I plan on updating it more than my others, since it's been abandoned for ages ^o^  
  
Bana the Random: Thanks for reading! The updates are coming along way better for this than for any of my other stories, for some real weird reason, I have a strong resolution to finish this fic! ^_^ Good thing, ne? ^_~ Enjoy the chapter.  
  
Child of Midnight: Hehe the big question, why did Kaiba kiss her? Read and find out ^_~ Or I'm sure you all can guess already, can't you?  
  
Heart: Thanks for reading!! Hope you enjoy the chapter ^_^  
  
Thanks for all the reviews you guys are wonderful!!! ^___^ Between waiting on the next chapter and actually bothering to review when it comes out, you're all great!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, or any of the characters, so don't sue me. However, I own this fic, so don't steal it ^_^  
  
*****************************  
  
Chapter 11 - Some Things Never Change  
  
"You've got to do something about that hand," Kaiba coldly remarked. We were quickly and silently moving through the halls, past the identical doors.  
  
"What do you think they keep in there?" I asked, trying to think of a possible answer, and looking at the rooms. No numbers, no identification.  
  
=How can they get around this place?=  
  
The creaking of a door made me jump, my gun held at ready. I relaxed slightly when I saw it was only Kaiba.  
  
"You're lucky I didn't shoot," I breathed.  
  
"Come on, in here," he nodded towards the empty room. I gave him a puzzled look, but walked quietly inside.  
  
It was almost identical to the one we were confined in, but this one didn't have a window. When Seto partially closed the door, the room plunged into darkness. He moved over to where the thin light strip shone on the floor, and gestured for me to follow.  
  
"What are we doing here?  
  
He didn't reply until I was on my knees next to him. Seto reached for my hand, and turned it palm upwards, examining it. I wiped the blood off, so now my both hands and clothes were stained red.  
  
Seto gently ran his thumb over the metal bullet still lodged in my palm, and frowned.  
  
"We're going to have to take this out..." Even in the almost darkness I could have sworn he looked apologetic. He then looked into my face for the longest time.  
  
"What?" I pouted.  
  
"Nothing," he broke eye contact and shook his head. "Do you have anything we can use, pincers, -"  
  
I pulled out my tweezers and put them unceremoniously in his hand. He started staring at me again.  
  
"Damn it Kaiba, we're wasting time," I gritted my teeth and snatched my tweezers, set on doing it myself, but I hesitated when he was still staring at me with a pitying gaze.  
  
He steadily grasped the tweezers in between his thumb and middle and pointer, drawing in breath as he neared the bullet with the pointed tweezer- ends. The blood has already started to clot around the metal, and it hurt when Seto prodded the lacerated skin apart.  
  
"Are you sure?" he gazed at me with a hint of concern.  
  
=Just a hint? No...=  
  
"Not going to walk around with that thing under my skin, am I?" I nodded once, and turned away.  
  
"Pull it out in one quick jerk," I told him quietly, and waited for it.  
  
The first wave of pain shot up my arm when the tweezers made firm contact with the bullet, moving it slightly further into my hand. Then I felt the tissue pulling outward, steadily, with an increasing tug on my nerves. I bit my lip.  
  
=This hurts more than actually getting shot=  
  
Finally the chunk of metal broke free of my skin, and it didn't tug anymore. I sneaked a peek back at my hand, wincing in advance at what I would see.  
  
Seto was wiping at the blood that was dripping out once again with the hem of his trench coat, but I couldn't feel the material on account of the earlier pain. He fetched some of my leftover bandages from my bad and expertly wrapped them around the wound, with a serious look on his face all through the procedure.  
  
"Thanks," I whispered when he was done, but all I got in response was a curt nod. "By the way," I continued in the same hushed tone, "What was going on with you, before you stabbed that guard?"  
  
He hesitated a little, seemed to be embarrassed about something, but quickly regained himself.  
  
"What else could it be? If you'd known about my plans you would have given us out," he muttered, suddenly angry, and I felt my own temper rising.  
  
"Oh, I see how that is, I don't need to know the specifics, because I'm not in the same situation as you, and it doesn't concern me!" I hissed. Kaiba sighed in frustration and shook his head.  
  
I picked up my bag and my gun, and opened the door out into the hallway.  
  
=Stupid Kaiba=  
  
I quickly understood that it was quite a silly thing to do. It was as if the guards have followed the trail of their dead, and now were waiting for us. There must have been about five of them lining the far wall and the corners of the hallway we just came out through. For a moment I kind of stopped and stared, but when one of them gave the command to open fire, I didn't debate anymore. I started shooting at them, taking a step back with every shot. Maybe it took them by surprise, because they started shooting much later. I was almost at another corner, so I turned and ran.  
  
I heard the gunshots behind me, and the little noises the bullets made in the wall in front of me, and I shut my eyes every time one of them would whiz close to my head. I blindly ran into something soft, and felt myself being dragged roughly around the corner, and heard gunshots going off really close to me.  
  
For a while I ran with my eyes closed, always waiting for them to start shooting again, but they never did. I was swung around another corner, it seemed like, and suddenly it got dark. I thought it safe to open my eyes when I felt a cold wall behind my back. I was no longer in the hallway, but in yet another of those rooms, dimly illuminated by a crack in the door.  
  
"Are you stupid??!!" Kaiba's voice raged a few minutes later, when the shuffling of feet outside subsided. I kept looking ahead, trying to discern his face in the darkness. I had no idea he was right in front of me until he drove his fist into the wall, very near my head, with such force his joints cracked.  
  
"You could have gotten yourself killed!"  
  
"But I didn't."  
  
I started to feel more like myself, and got mad all over.  
  
"You could have gotten me killed!" he continued yelling.  
  
"You didn't have to go after me, you know!" I yelled back.  
  
=Not this again= I inwardly groaned.  
  
"Just because you don't care for anyone but yourself, doesn't mean it's like that for everyone!"  
  
His stare was fixed on my face, he was impatiently waiting for my answer.  
  
"If it got me this far, hell, I'm sticking with it," I told him, considerably calmed down, mainly because I knew this debate wasn't going anywhere.  
  
=Might as well save my breath, it's like arguing with a brick wall=  
  
"You're so unbelievable!" Kaiba continued in the same tone. "I've never met anyone like you! It's a miracle you're however old you are, and still retain the childish ideas of egotism!"  
  
"That's right," I lifted my head to look him in the eye. "That would never change."  
  
********************************************  
  
Well that's it for this chapter! ^_^ Already 11 chapters ^o^ That's a lead of at least 2 chapters on all my other stories! Lol Shouldn't be that way, I guess ^_^;;  
  
Either way, please review! I love reviews, and I love you guys for the extra motivation!!! 


	12. Advil for the Soul

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
*****************************  
  
A/N: So sorry for the super long wait! *bows apologetically* It's been a rather busy time , that with school and all, but it's quiet again, so, hopefully, updates will come a little faster. At least once a week for /something/ *lol*  
  
Huge thanks to my reviewers, I owe you guys so much for inspiring me!!! ^___^  
  
Child of Midnight: Thanks for reading!  
  
Nelita: Sure, I'll go check out your story also!  
  
Hawk Sage: I'm so sorry you get discouraged by not enough reviews!! Well, don't give up! After all, we're supposed to write for the pure pleasure of writing, not for quantity of reviews. If it makes you feel good to write, then you shouldn't worry about other people not reading it. Maybe some read it, but they just don't review *shrugs* Don't give up! ^_^ There are still many of us who do like to read your stuff!! Hai hai, the pen name change was good too! ^_^  
  
Litena: Hope you're enjoying this! Thanks for the inspiration, I needed that! ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!... *ran out of creative ideas for disclaimers ^_^;;)  
  
=...= Mai's thoughts  
  
*****************************  
  
Chapter 12 – Advil for the Soul  
  
Kaiba stared at me in disbelief.  
  
"And you actually think you can get out of here alive, with that kind of attitude?" he whispered in a hushed tone, his eyes wide. Even in the darkness I could tell he was quite shocked.  
  
"Do you think you'll escape alive with yours?"  
  
Suddenly it wasn't about who we cared for anymore. It was all about getting out, escaping this prison, and ending up still alive afterwards.  
  
"Hell, I don't know!" Seto suddenly wailed, and leaned forwards to the wall, trapping me between him and the bricks behind me. He clenched his fists on either side of my head, and I felt his hot breath, coming in little gasps on my face.  
  
"Stop asking me those kinds of things! I want to live as much as you do," I whispered, a little thrown off by his change of behavior. He was still leaning over me, breathing desperately. I couldn't think of anything to do or say, I just kept standing there.  
  
He surprised me again when he slowly started sinking down, until he was sobbing quietly at my feet. I lowered myself to his level and sighed.  
  
"Get a grip Kaiba."  
  
=Please stop doing this=  
  
His arms, that were still on either side of me, closed around my shoulders, drawing me closer.  
  
"What the –" I tried to push at his chest, but he only tightened his grip.  
  
"Just a little longer..." he whispered, barely audibly, next to my ear.  
  
How? Why? What was going on? Who was holding us captive? Why us?  
  
I relaxed and closed my eyes, trying to make the nagging questions go away. I didn't want to care anymore about the 'why'. All I wanted now, more than ever, was to get out of the cursed place.  
  
His body suddenly stiffened, and a low gasp escaped from his throat. His arms fell from my shoulders, and he suddenly seemed to be fighting to kneel upright.  
  
I gasped at first sight of the shadowy figures in the doorway, and then the sickening feeling of helplessness drenched my body in cold sweat. I looked at Kaiba. He was smiling as much as the pain from his wound in his back allowed him.  
  
"You knew..." I whispered, on the verge of tears. Why?  
  
"You knew it... too..." he whispered feebly back, "...that they would... eventually..." he collapsed, presumably from blood loss, and with him, my last hopes of escaping.  
  
My fractured hand seemed to be hurting unbearably again, and my headache came back, as one of the guards pointed his rifle at me. Even as I longingly fingered the butt of my gun, I couldn't will myself to move. They got Kaiba, I could be next.  
  
Their voices became less distinctive, as more of them poured in through the now open doorway. What little light from the hallway managed to penetrate into the room, they've obstructed. They were shouting, but I couldn't hear them anymore. Then pain in my body was making me dizzy, and just looking at Kaiba, lying immobile at my feet, instilled a different kind of pain. A sharp metal object collided with my face, and the red blurred my vision. I was faintly aware of my body being moved, and then...  
  
**********************************  
  
I come back from a long slumber, and what do I do? Go right back to the cliffies. ~_~ Either way, hope you all enjoyed it, I know this chapter was short, but if I continued, it would be way too long and a little rushed. ^_^;; Gomen! Thanks for reading, please tell me what you think!! Review pretty please!! ^___^ 


	13. Pain is a Good Diversion

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
*******************************  
  
A/N: Finally got the story straight in my head. It's been so long that I forgotten how the story was going to end, originally *dodges flying eggs* Yes, I know, not the best writing technique. And I'll even admit that I had no idea how it was going to end from the beginning. As long as I had something to write, I guess it didn't really matter, but, well, now it does ^_^;;  
  
But the story's straight, I know what's going on with this one, or at least for now. Endings are alterable when I'm the one writing the story ^_^;; Hehehe.... Well, whatever the ending will turn out to be, it will be good, I promise! The goal of the story won't change.  
  
Sorry for the rant. Here's the thanks to the sources of my inspiration!!  
  
HAWK SAGE: Glad to hear that you're still writing your fics ^_^ Thanks for reading!  
  
Looks like inspiration is leaving... T_T  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh, or any of its characters, just this fic.  
  
******************************  
  
Chapter 13 – Pain is a Good Diversion  
  
The first time I woke up I wasn't aware of anything but a horrible pain all over my body. My head still hurt unbelievably, and I was having trouble focusing. Very faintly at first, but with growing loudness I heard people, voices. They were all talking at once, it seemed, the sounds becoming more and more distorted.  
  
My eyesight cleared a little, and I saw that it was only two people – Seto Kaiba, and someone whose face I could not see. I tried to call out, but found the effort very draining.  
  
I became aware of aching joints, but something was holding my limbs in this uncomfortable position. I tried to twist my hand inside the shackle-like bond, only to irritate my bullet wound further. I felt similar coarse leather straps around my other wrist and ankles. Then I felt the cold of the wall seep into my body, and began to realize the frightening seriousness of the situation.  
  
Struggling against the dryness in my throat and all too much aware of my frantic heartbeat, I made my best effort to call out again. At first the sound was only in my head, with faint whimpers escaping my lips.  
  
"Seto!!!" it finally burst through, burning my throat and almost making me choke. But I ignored the pain. "Seto!!!"  
  
"What are you yelling for, I'm right here."  
  
I blinked. I was no longer in that building. I was sitting upright in a narrow bed. I had to adjust my eyes to the lack of light in the room to really see where I was. My throat still burned, and I massaged it gently. I must have cried out in my sleep.  
  
Fearfully, slowly, I turned my head, and, against all hope otherwise, locked gazes with him. He was wearing a look of worn indifference, staring emotionlessly at me. I didn't know what to say, so I composed myself as fast as I could. I pretended to be arranging my hair and nursing my hand, but I could feel that he was still looking, as if searching for a flaw.  
  
=Please stop staring=  
  
What I wouldn't have given at that moment not to have cried out his name. For him not to have heard it. I wondered why he wasn't saying anything. Explaining where we were, what happened.  
  
=Anything but the silence. The silence is betraying me=  
  
I decided to use the usual strategy. Distract him. Blame him.  
  
"Are you just going to sit there, or explain?" I turned on him with a cold stare and a tone to match. He visibly flinched, but only for a second. He got up from his previous location in a wooden chair. A little stiffly, I noticed, and felt guilty. He must have been in that position for a while. I bit my lower lip while his back was turned, but the commanding gaze was back in my eyes to greet him when he turned around.  
  
"Currently, we're on board passenger liner "Esperance". You've been unconscious for two days now." After a short pause, he continued. "Do you remember anything... after they caught us?"  
  
The previous uncomfortable feelings rushed back, but I stopped them, placing both my hands over my face and shutting my eyes until the physical pain of aching muscles took over.  
  
I was surprised at the measured gentleness with which both his enveloped mine. His strong fingers moved over my skin, warm, soothing...  
  
=No! This can't make up for everything=  
  
I gasped at my unexpected reaction.  
  
"Don't touch me," I announced monotonously. His hands immediately retreated, in one hurried motion. Sneaking a peek at him through my fingers, I was even more shocked to see him clenching his teeth, looking at the ground.  
  
"So you do remember," he whispered, "You have every right to dislike me."  
  
"Dislike you...?" I repeated the phrase over and over in my head. For some illogical reason it was not making sense. But I let the brain take over. "I abhor you. Hate you. Despise you."  
  
He flinched with every word, and I was fighting a battle with myself to take those words back. It was the logical thing to do, right? I had every right to be mad, right? He deserved it, right? Right?  
  
The thoughts became too much for me. The memories came back too. Memories that I wanted gone, memories that I wanted erased. I desperately wanted to do something, anything, to stop my thinking. My frantic searching gaze fell upon a glass of water so conveniently placed on a table near my bed. Snatching up the thin glass, I swung it into the wall with all my strength.  
  
The glass shattered into so many pieces, and they rained over the covers from under my hand. I kept pushing against the jagged concave shape, bruising my palm in many different places. The pain became noticeable when the crushed pieces of glass fell away stained red, and I was forced to shift my attention to the new set of wounds. Satisfied with the effectiveness of the act, I set about plucking the tiny pieces out of my skin.  
  
Kaiba didn't say a word the whole time. The noise had surely attracted his attention, and I could see him watching me through a few quick glances. We were quiet for a long time. The noise of running feet outside the door made us shift our gazes on the door. The handle turned, and a very tired-looking Yugi, along with a panting Joey, Tristan, and Tea, burst through.  
  
"Geez, what happened in here?" Joey surveyed the damage and the glass and whistled quietly.  
  
"Are you okay?" Yugi wanted to know.  
  
"I'm fine," I told him, at the same time Kaiba said the same thing. The group in the doorway shifted their feet uncomfortably in the silence.  
  
"I'm glad we could repay the favor, Mai," Tea uttered timidly, smiling a little. "I don't think I ever got to thank you for helping Yugi and Joey that time."  
  
"But I gotta admit, hauling you out of the water was no easy task," Tristan grinned.  
  
"The water?" I looked at them, suddenly interested, "Please, tell me what happened."  
  
Yugi hesitated, and then glanced at Kaiba uncertainly.  
  
"We're not sure. Both of you were floating in the water alongside the ship," he looked between me and Kaiba, waiting for something. "We should be asking you guys what happened to you."  
  
I looked at Kaiba helplessly. I knew what happened; I didn't know why. Who were those people? What did they want to find out from him? Why did I have to get mixed up in all that? I pulled my knees up to my chest, still waiting for Kaiba to start talking. But minutes passed, and he hadn't.  
  
"Why...?" I voiced the question on my mind. "Why?" I kept repeating it, and when my voice got too faint to be heard, I was still moving my lips.  
  
The group in the doorway was glancing between us, feeling rather uncomfortable and out of place, but I bet they, too, wanted to know.  
  
Kaiba was hesitating visibly. He kept opening and closing his mouth, but no sound was coming out. After what seemed to be an eternity, he got up and walked across the room. When he was almost to the doorway, Yugi and Joey moved apart, making way. He was between the two boys when he turned around slowly.  
  
"Those men were a black market syndicate. Among them are some past Kaiba Corp employees. Traitors," he spat out the last word in disgust, and then sighed. With a weary glance in my direction, he finished, "They were after Kaiba Corp's developing technology."  
  
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Please oh please review!! ^___^ I worked hard on this chapter, hopefully it didn't seem too rushed?? Thanks for reading guys!! 


	14. Why Don't I Hate Him?

I Will Always be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
**************  
  
A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I hope you all know this is on top of my priorities as far as fanfiction is concerned. Thank you to all who have stuck with me so far on this fic! You guys are the greatest!! Special thanks to Hawk Sage and Kosumi, thanks for giving me reviews on the last chapter. Wasn't really confident about whether my explanations were good enough or not.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh or any of the characters. I do, however, own this fic.  
  
Without further adieu now –  
  
***************  
  
Chapter 14 – Why Don't I Hate Him?  
  
I stared at him for a really long time after he said that. It took me a while to absorb the information. They were after Kaiba Corp, after some new technology Kaiba invented. After him. And I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  
  
I thought back to the beginning of this mess, when I helped Kaiba on the ship. It had been payment for the money he gave me. I kept shaking my head.  
  
=How did I get so deep into this?=  
  
Kaiba walked out of the room and disappeared from view. The group was looking at me curiously, waiting to see what I would do next. I disappointed them. I just sat there for a long time after he left, staring at the empty space between the door frame.  
  
I asked myself over and over why I didn't hate that man. Even now, that I found out I would have never gotten involved in any of the mess if it hadn't been for Kaiba, I couldn't bring myself to hate him.  
  
=Hadn't it been my own actions too?=  
  
Such a thought has never entered my mind. All the while my actions have only led me down a path I didn't mind. But this – ! The nightmare, the pain, the humiliation – didn't I mind it?  
  
=I hate it!=  
  
Then why can't I hate Seto Kaiba, the person who was supposed to go through all that instead of me?  
  
"Ano..." a timid voice cut into my trail of thoughts. "Are you sure you're not hungry? Should I get you anything?"  
  
I looked up at Tea's timid face. The girl was smiling shyly, with a hint of sadness, maybe even pity. I didn't need anyone else feeling sorry for me. I was doing a good job of that myself.  
  
"No, thank you," I told her, trying to sound bitter, and from her continuing smile, I think I succeeded in my attempt at politeness.  
  
"Well if you need anything, let us know," she stepped backwards and closed the door, plunging the room into slight shadow and leaving me alone with my thoughts. I wished she wouldn't.  
  
The memories flooded back into my head, overpowering me. I felt the bonds on my ankles and wrists, cutting into my flesh. Saw the cold eyes of one of the men, and Kaiba's closed ones. I could feel my throat itching, my voice getting hoarse, as I repeatedly called out his name. The sound hurt my ears, I felt my head throbbing, but I kept screaming for help, while he stood there, his head inclined downwards. My eyes flew open and I gasped, clutching my chest. That was the first time I ever cried out for help.  
  
=How could I have?=  
  
But that was my brain yelling. In my heart it didn't feel all that wrong. It was irrational, illogical, terribly opposed to my philosophy, but there it was. I didn't need help, I didn't need anyone. I satisfied myself with attributing it to hysteria at the time, rather than a flaw in my character. At least for the moment, to keep my sanity intact.  
  
I had no idea how many times I passed out in that room, but it must have been frighteningly many. I couldn't even remember how we escaped that place, don't remember floating in the ocean, or being picked up. I didn't like feeling this helpless. I've never had to rely on anyone other than myself, nor have I ever wanted to. Now I had no choice.  
  
I pulled my legs up to my chest, curling up in the sheets, and shut my eyes. But no matter how tightly my eyes were closed, the tears managed to squeeze out onto my eyelashes.  
  
=How could I let this happen? How can I stand feeling this way?=  
  
***  
  
I must have passed out again; when I came to, it was early afternoon. The first thing I suddenly realized was that I was hungry, the second was the need for a hot bath. Deciding that those needs won't be fulfilled in this room I got out of bed, surprised at the strange feeling of standing up. I walked to the door very slowly, because I found I had to concentrate on every step to avoid falling. I stumbled out the door into the hallway, holding onto the wall for support, and groaned inwardly at the stairs leading up to the deck.  
  
I suddenly felt so tired, looking helplessly at those stairs. Why did everything seem so complicated all of a sudden? It was all that Kaiba's fault. If he never bumped into my car in that parking lot, if he hadn't bumped into me again at that store, if he wasn't on that ship, if he hadn't done me any favors –  
  
I realized how close to the floor my face was. I wondered why I was in such a position for a while, only now becoming aware of the numbness is my limbs. My mind became alert, and I tried to look around me. Purple and blue was before my eyes, slowly taking on the shape of the man I was denouncing in my mind earlier. I realized what must have happened, why I was just inches off the floor with his arms around me, and felt embarrassed. If he hadn't caught me...  
  
After a while I summoned up the courage to look him in the face. He stared back an intimidating, cold stare.  
  
"You shouldn't have gotten up."  
  
"I need to use the bathroom," I managed through clenched teeth. It's amazing how fast he can infuriate me, with just that stare, trying to seem as if he doesn't care.  
  
Kaiba stood up slowly, pulling me by my waist gently. I made an effort to grab for the railing at the base of the staircase, but he surprised me by leaning down and picking up my legs with one hand, my upper body with the other. I opened my mouth to protest but he glanced at me sideways. Again that stare. But no matter.  
  
=At least I get an easy ride up these damn stairs=  
  
He walked unhurriedly up each step; when he reached the top he didn't stop. He went past all the doors on that floor until he reached one labeled "Bathrooms". He made no notion of letting me down. He just stood there staring at nothing in particular. I watched his face for a while, and then it started to get uncomfortable. I wriggled around in his arms a little.  
  
"You can set me down now."  
  
He slowly came out of that trance of his, and lowered me to the ground. I could barely feel it when my feet came into contact with the floor, and stumbled a bit before I could regain my balance. I made to grab for the wall, but Kaiba moved quicker, and I found myself grabbing onto him instead. His arms were suddenly around me again.  
  
"Let me go," I whispered loudly, looking down. He looked away for a second, and removed his hands slowly. I stumbled into the room, closing the door after myself. I waited a moment to calm myself before attending to my needs. I stepped into the tiled shower room, and opened the hot and cold water taps over the tub. I sat on the edge, waiting for the water to fill up, slowly removing my clothes.  
  
=Is he still outside the door?=  
  
I tested the water with my hand before completely getting in, letting myself relax in the warm liquid. I looked up at the dim light above my head through the steam.  
  
If Seto Kaiba hadn't caught me... No... I didn't hate him for that.  
  
*****************  
  
^_^ I'm pretty proud of this chapter. Please review and tell me what you all thought about it. Criticism is okay too, but please be constructive ^_^. 


	15. Thoughts and Emotions Do Not Get Along

I Will Always Be the Same  
  
By Anime Queen  
  
A/N: Final chapter! I can't believe it. Thank you all sooo much for sticking with me till the end!!! I love you guys ! Please don't forget to review!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own YGO, just this fic. Please don't steal it. I worked very hard on it.  
  
Chapter 15 – "Thoughts and Emotions Do Not Get Along"  
  
I was at my wits end with that man. And him still being there after I was through with my bath didn't help the matter. Seto Kaiba looked me over, and suddenly I felt so transparent beneath the thin cotton yukata. I grasped my clothes tighter and tried to stare back with defiance.  
  
"Feeling better?" he finally asked, moving closer slowly.  
  
"Just fine," I replied, and started to turn back in the direction of the cabins where I was staying. He followed closely behind. We didn't say a word. By now I've grown accustomed to walking again, which pleased me. I couldn't keep relying on Kaiba for everything. I don't rely on anyone, so what makes him so special? No, this was going to have to stop.  
  
"Where are we going?" I asked him, turning around to face him, when we arrived outside my cabin door.  
  
"Tokyo, where else?" he replied, not sounding too happy about it.  
  
"You should be glad, then," I told him. "You're going to your old life and continue as if nothing happened."  
  
=While I can't= I added in my head, and fought the urge to shed the tears behind my eyelashes.  
  
"You should be glad..." I repeated, turning away from him. A little more of this and I was really going to break down crying. I took a step forward.  
  
"You're really stupid, aren't you?" his voice was cold now. I froze in my tracks. "Something's seriously wrong with you if you think I can go back to the way it was before..." The last part he said softly. I didn't say anything, but kept listening.  
  
"I failed to rescue my little brother from that madman Pegasus, I get captured and put the company in danger, and look what I did to you – " he stopped abruptly, and I felt those tears welling up again.  
  
=I guess we're not that different after all=  
  
"Is that why you were on that ship? To rescue your brother?" I uttered in a level tone. He didn't answer, and we stood in suffocating silence. How come he never told me that? But then again, I hadn't told him about my dad either. Some things are better left unsaid.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
I turned to face him now, not caring whether I would cry or not.  
  
"What?" I muttered in confusion.  
  
"I'm sorry..." he repeated. He was looking straight at me, right into my eyes. And I found it hard not to look back.  
  
"What I let those men do to you... I'm sorry. It should have been me."  
  
He was asking for forgiveness. Forgiveness he didn't need to ask for, I reluctantly admitted. But some emotions are better left untouched, I decided.  
  
"It was my fault," I turned again and put my hand on the door handle, determined to go in and escape his mesmerizing stare. But even that didn't help me. His hand was instantly covering mine. He was standing so close at my side my shoulder was softly touching his chest. I looked into his face. He was looking into my eyes again.  
  
"I don't need any more problems," I told him evenly, turning to the door again and closing my eyes.  
  
"If you don't want me around then say so," he said slowly. "Tell me to disappear and you'll never see me again, I promise."  
  
I didn't say anything. So easy, it seemed, just two words, "go away". But so hard to get past my lips. I opened and closed my mouth, but nothing came out. Clearly, what I needed and what I wanted were two different things. Bitterness and self-contempt filled me. I was nothing but a hypocrite. Why did my emotions have to go against my philosophies? Emotions that are new and untested, maybe even false.  
  
I tried to open the door and get inside again, but this time he moved to block the door with his body.  
  
"Answer me," he demanded. No, on second thoughts, that sounded more like a plea. I turned my head towards the floor to avoid his stare, but I knew it was still there.  
  
"Damn it, why do you have to make everything so hard?" he burst out. My head shot up with new-found energy and my eyes blazed.  
  
"I'm making it difficult?" I spat at him, "I'm not the one who screwed my whole life over! I'm not the one who chose to be abused in some random place for something that had nothing to do with me! You think I want to feel like this? You think I want to be here?" I wiped furiously at my eyes, sobbing violently. "You have no idea... the only thing I had left was my independence, and now that is gone too..."  
  
He tried to put his hands on my shoulders, but I smacked them away.  
  
"You really are stupid," he whispered coldly, grabbing me around my shoulders despite my protests, and forcing me to look at him. His features were stern, but his eyes were softer somehow. He cupped my chin with his thumb and forefinger, and in the same swift motion leaned in. He hesitated once a little, but then forcefully planted his lips on mine. I took a step back, but he took a step forward, refusing to let go of me. It was as if he could anticipate my every move. I pulled back, he leaned further in. I stumbled backwards in one final attempt to get away from him, and to my despair felt the hallway wall behind my back. Sure enough, he took advantage of the fact that I was now trapped.  
  
He assaulted me with full power. His arms were tight around my shoulders, holding me in place against his broad chest. His lips were locked on mine, radiating heat that spread to all parts of my body. His eyes bore holes in my wide and frightened ones. And worst of all, his presence neither allowed me, nor made me want to escape.  
  
I never knew how I managed to make peace with myself that night. I was falling faster and faster into the abyss that I swore I would never even go near. And if I forgot for a moment about thinking, I found myself actually enjoying him. His touch, his feel, his smell, all seemed surreal. And when the thoughts came back, he would always push them back with one of his stares.  
  
"It's okay to depend on someone," he told me at one point. I had my head on his chest, and we were lying on top of the bed sheets in semi-darkness. He smoothed my hair away from my neck and caressed the small of my back.  
  
"It's nice... to be able to do that," I told him, tracing my palm up and down his side, "but not easy."  
  
He lifted my head to look at me and smiled slightly.  
  
"Maybe both of us can give it a try," Seto whispered softly, his eyes searching mine for answers. I gave him a little smile of my own.  
  
"I will always be the same. You'll just be an exception to every rule."  
  
THE END 


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